Lamington

A true-blue Aussie icon, the lamington turns humble sponge cake into something special with two finishing touches: a jammy middle and a coat of fine coconut. This version skips the usual chocolate dip in favor of warm strawberry jam, giving each square a bright, fruity center.

The batter leans on cake gel, a baker’s emulsifier that whips air into the eggs and sugar and locks it there, so the sponge bakes up tall and even with a tender crumb. Beat it long enough to nearly triple in volume before folding in the dry mix.

Two details make or break the assembly. Heat the jam until it pours like syrup so it spreads in a thin, even layer. Then freeze the sandwiched sponge for a couple of hours. Chilled cake cuts into clean squares and holds its shape when you roll it through coconut, instead of crumbling into a sticky mess.

Chef Tips

• Whip the cake gel mixture until pale and nearly tripled in volume. That trapped air is what gives lamingtons their springy crumb.
• Loosen the strawberry jam in a double boiler, not over direct heat, so it turns pourable without scorching.
• Roll the squares in coconut while the jam edges are still slightly tacky so the coating sticks all over.

Variations

• Go traditional and dip the squares in a thin chocolate icing before the coconut.
• Swap the strawberry jam for raspberry or apricot for a different fruit note.
• Split each square and pipe in a little whipped cream for a richer afternoon-tea treat.